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Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021744A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:35 >>GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME, AGAIN, TO SABBATH 00:37 SCHOOL STUDY HOUR HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY 00:39 ADVENTIST CHURCH. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THOSE WHO 00:42 ARE JOINING US ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. 00:45 I KNOW WE HAVE ONLINE CHURCH MEMBERS THAT TUNE IN EVERY WEEK 00:49 TO STUDY WITH US, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER FRIENDS THAT 00:52 PARTICIPATE IN OUR BIBLE STUDY TOGETHER. 00:54 I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME THE MEMBERS AND THE VISITORS RIGHT 00:57 HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH - ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE, 00:59 WEEK AFTER WEEK, COMING TO STUDY THE WORD OF GOD TOGETHER. 01:02 NOW, OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING OUR LESSON 01:05 QUARTERLY, DEALING WITH THE BOOK OF ROMANS - ACTUALLY, THE LESSON 01:08 QUARTERLY IS ENTITLED SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE: THE BOOK OF 01:11 ROMANS . TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES ON 01:13 LESSON #5 IN THIS STUDY AND THAT IS ENTITLED THE FAITH OF 01:18 ABRAHAM - A GREAT CHAMPION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - AN EXAMPLE 01:22 OF FAITH - AND THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR STUDY FOR THIS MORNING. 01:26 NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU JOINING US ONLINE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY 01:29 OF THE STUDY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS MORNING, YOU CAN 01:32 DOWNLOAD ONE AT THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE, 01:35 JUST AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE STUDYING 01:39 LESSON #5 ENTITLED THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM . 01:42 DOWNLOAD THE LESSON AND YOU CAN STUDY ALONG WITH US. 01:45 WE ALSO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY, 01:48 DEALING WITH FAITH. IT IS A BOOK ENTITLED HEROES OF 01:52 FAITH AND THIS IS OUR FREE OFFER FOR TODAY. 01:55 FOR THOSE IN NORTH AMERICA, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS, 01:58 CALL 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #826 - WE'LL BE 02:06 HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO YOU AND, AS MENTIONED, THIS IS FOR THOSE 02:08 IN NORTH AMERICA. IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF NORTH 02:11 AMERICA, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS 02:14 WEBSITE AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FREE RESOURCES THAT YOU'LL BE 02:17 ABLE TO READ RIGHT THERE ONLINE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS BOOK, 02:20 SPECIFICALLY, IS AVAILABLE TO READ ONLINE, BUT AGAIN, FOR 02:23 THOSE IN NORTH AMERICA, GIVE US A CALL ON THAT NUMBER AND WE'LL 02:26 BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO YOU. NOW, USUALLY, FOR OUR SABBATH 02:29 SCHOOL STUDY HOUR, WE LIKE TO BEGIN BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN 02:32 SONG, BUT WE'VE GOT A SPECIAL TREAT TODAY. INSTEAD OF HAVING 02:35 OUR REGULAR CONGREGATIONAL SINGING, WE HAVE KIRSTEN CLARK. 02:39 SHE IS FROM THE SEATTLE AREA - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SHE IS A 02:43 STUDENT HERE AT THE AFCOE PROGRAM. 02:46 AFCOE IS THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF EVANGELISM, IT IS A 02:48 FOUR-MONTH TRAINING PROGRAM AND SHE IS GOING TO BE PLAYING A 02:52 SPECIAL MUSICAL ITEM FOR US ON THE PIANO THIS MORNING. 02:55 FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL HAVE OUR OPENING PRAYER FOR OUR STUDY AND 02:59 THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR LESSON. 03:02 (PIANO MUSIC) 06:48 >>AMEN. THANK YOU, KIRSTEN - APPRECIATE THAT. 06:51 I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO BOW YOUR HEADS AS WE OPEN WITH A 06:53 WORD OF PRAYER. DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A 06:55 PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO GATHER IN YOUR HOUSE ON THIS, YOUR DAY, 06:58 THE SABBATH, AND OPEN UP YOUR WORD AND STUDY A GREAT BIBLE 07:03 CHARACTER - ONE THAT IS SET FORTH AS AN EXAMPLE OF FAITH. 07:08 I PRAY THAT YOU'D BLESS OUR TIME AS WE LOOK AT THE STORY OF 07:10 ABRAHAM. WE PRAY, LORD, THAT WE MIGHT 07:11 LEARN THOSE VERY IMPORTANT LESSONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE US 07:14 UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MESSAGE OF THE 07:17 BOOK OF ROMANS AND THE GOSPEL, SO BLESS OUR TIME THIS MORNING, 07:21 FOR WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 07:24 OUR LESSON TODAY IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG. 07:31 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL 07:33 MUSIC. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. 07:36 MORNING. >>MORNING. 07:38 >>HOW IS EVERYBODY? GOOD TO SEE YOU. 07:41 I WANT TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, AGAIN, OUR EXTENDED 07:44 CLASS AND SOME WHO ARE ACTUALLY MEMBERS OF THE GRANITE BAY 07:47 COMMUNITY FROM AROUND THE WORLD. WE'RE CONTINUING OUR STUDY ON 07:51 ROMANS AND TODAY WE'RE ON LESSON #5. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE 07:56 BACKGROUND, BEFORE WE GET INTO IT, WE ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE WHO 08:00 ARE TUNING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME OR MAYBE ARE HERE VISITING FOR 08:04 THE FIRST TIME. WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BOOK OF 08:07 ROMANS? THE JEWS WHO HEARD PETER PREACH 08:14 AT PENTECOST FROM ROME - IT MENTIONS THEM IN ACTS CHAPTER 08:18 2 - THEY ACCEPTED, THEY WERE BAPTIZED, THEY WENT BACK TO ROME 08:22 AND BEGAN TO SHARE THEIR FAITH. THE CHURCH BEGAN TO GROW IN ROME 08:27 BEFORE PETER OR PAUL OR THE APOSTLES WERE EVEN THERE. 08:32 WELL, EVENTUALLY, BY THE TIME THAT PETER PREACHES TO CORNELIUS 08:36 AND THEY REALIZE THAT GOD IS NOW TAKING THE GOSPEL TO THE 08:39 GENTILES - BECAUSE, AT FIRST, THE JEWS IN ROME PREACHED TO 08:43 OTHER JEWS - THERE WERE JEWISH COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD 08:47 AND THEY HAD SYNAGOGUES IN ROME WAY BACK IN THE TIME OF JESUS. 08:51 AND WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT GOD HAD GIVEN A MESSAGE THAT THE 08:54 GOSPEL SHOULD ALSO GO TO THE GENTILES THAT WERE IN ROME, 08:58 WELL, THE JEWS IN ROME STARTED SAYING, 'OKAY, YOU CAN ACCEPT 09:01 CHRIST, AND DON'T FORGET, YOU NEED TO KEEP THE CEREMONIAL 09:05 FEAST DAYS, YOU NEED TO BE CIRCUMCISED, YOU NEED TO 09:07 PRACTICE A LOT OF THE CEREMONIAL LAWS AND EVEN SOME OF THE 09:10 MAN-MADE LAWS.' AND YOU'LL SEE, THIS IS A BIG BATTLE THROUGHOUT 09:14 THE NEW TESTAMENT - NOT JUST IN ROME. 09:17 PAUL, BEFORE HE EVER GETS THERE, HE SAYS, 'LOOK, LET ME EXPLAIN 09:20 HOW THE GOSPEL WORKS: JEW OR GENTILE, YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY 09:25 KEEPING ANY LAW.' AND SO, IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS, PAUL LAYS OUT 09:30 ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES OF WHAT IS THE GOSPEL, 09:33 AND HE CONTINUES TO GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE 09:37 GENTILE THROUGH THE WHOLE BOOK, PRESENTING ARGUMENTS THAT PAUL 09:40 COULD UNDERSTAND BECAUSE PAUL CAME FROM, OF COURSE, A JEWISH 09:43 BACKGROUND, BUT HE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN A GENTILE CITY. 09:47 HE SPOKE HEBREW, HE SPOKE GREEK. THE BIBLE SAYS PAUL SAYS, 09:51 'I SPEAK WITH TONGUES MORE THAN ANY OF YOU.' 09:54 HE SPOKE WITH MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. 09:55 AND SO, HE UNDERSTOOD HOW HE COULD RELATE TO BOTH. 09:58 AND SO, HE DOES A MASTERFUL PRESENTATION OF WHAT THE GOSPEL 10:02 IS, THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, BECOME THE FOUNDATION FOR THE 10:07 REFORMATION. NOW, IT IS NO ACCIDENT - I WAS 10:10 BACK AT THE GENERAL CONFERENCE LAST WEEK. 10:11 SOME OF YOU WERE TUNING IN FOR SOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS THERE. 10:15 ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SHARED IS THE PLAN FOR THE SABBATH SCHOOL 10:18 LESSON. YOU NOTICE, THE LAST TWO 10:20 QUARTERS WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH GALATIANS AND WITH ROMANS, AND 10:24 THERE'S SOME OVERLAP IN OUR LESSON TODAY. 10:26 THAT'S NOT BY ACCIDENT, IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE NOW ON THE CUSP 10:29 OF THE FIVE HUNDRED-YEAR ANNIVERSARY FOR THE REFORMATION 10:33 - A GREAT REFORM MOVEMENT WITHIN CHRISTIANITY THAT, WELL, MARTIN 10:38 LUTHER SORT OF GETS THE CREDIT FOR WHEN HE NAILED HIS THESES TO 10:42 THE DOORS OF THE CHURCH IN WITTENBERG, BUT THE REFORMATION 10:46 GOES BACK TO WYCLIFF, HUSS - THEY PREDATED LUTHER. 10:49 THEY WERE CALLING FOR REFORM THAT CHRISTIANS GET BACK TO THE 10:53 SCRIPTURES. IN ALMOST EVERY CASE, YOU KNOW 10:55 WHAT THEIR PRINCIPLE MANUSCRIPT WAS FOR THE REFORMATION? ROMANS. 11:00 AND SO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US, AS PROTESTANT 11:03 CHRISTIANS, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PAUL IS SAYING IN ROMANS AND 11:06 UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN FAITH AND WORKS. 11:11 THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS WE RUN INTO. 11:14 SO, OUR LESSON TODAY IS THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM . 11:17 PAUL DECIDES TO USE ABRAHAM AS A GREAT EXAMPLE - 11:22 WHAT WAS ABRAHAM'S RELIGION BEFORE HE BECAME A JEW? 11:28 IT'S A TRICK QUESTION. WERE THERE JEWS BEFORE ABRAHAM? 11:36 WAS ABRAHAM A JEW? NO, ABRAHAM WAS A HEBREW. 11:42 JEWS - THAT'S A WORD THAT HAS, SORT OF, BECOME AN 11:45 ALL-ENCOMPASSING WORD FOR MODERN HEBREWS, BUT THE WORD 'JEW' 11:49 REALLY IS A DERIVATIVE OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH - THOSE WHO CAME 11:52 BACK FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, FROM THE SOUTHERN 11:55 KINGDOM, WERE PRINCIPALLY FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND IT SORT 11:58 OF BECAME THE WORD 'JEW'. BUT THE WORD 'ABRAHAM' - OR THE 12:03 WORD 'HEBREW', I SHOULD SAY, IT'S - BELIEVES IT GOES BACK TO 12:08 THE PERSON NAMED EBER WHO WAS ONE OF THE DESCENDENTS OF 12:11 ABRAHAM, BUT THEY WERE A PEOPLE WHO - IT MEANS 'TO CROSS OVER'. 12:16 WHEN ABRAHAM WAS CALLED OUT OF THE LAND OF THE CHALDEES - UR - 12:21 HE CROSSED OVER THE EUPHRATES, WHICH WAS A MAJOR BOUNDARY BACK 12:25 THEN - AND SO, THESE WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CALLED THE 12:27 HEBREWS - THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CROSSED OVER. 12:30 JOSEPH IS REFERRED TO AS A HEBREW WHEN HE WAS IN EGYPT - 12:33 SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD CROSSED OVER. 12:36 AND SO, ABRAHAM IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF THE HEBREWS AND 12:40 THE JEWISH NATION, BUT HE'S REALLY THE FATHER OF THE 12:43 ISRAELITES AND THE PROMISED SEED. 12:46 SO WE'LL SAY MORE ABOUT THAT. WAS ISAAC A JEW? 12:51 ISAAC WAS NOT A JEW, NEITHER WAS HE AN ISRAELITE, BECAUSE ISRAEL 12:54 HAD NOT BEEN BORN YET, SO HE'S REALLY IN NO-MAN'S LAND. 12:58 BUT THESE WERE THE GREAT PATRIARCHS. 13:01 ALRIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT OUR MEMORY VERSE. 13:04 THE MEMORY VERSE IS ROMANS 3:31. >>AMEN. 13:09 >>AND I INVITE YOU TO SAY THAT WITH ME, ROMANS 3:31. 13:12 READY? "DO WE THEN MAKE VOID THE LAW THROUGH FAITH? 13:17 GOD FORBID! YEA, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW." 13:21 NOW, YOU CAN TELL RIGHT AWAY THE - THE BATTLE THAT THEY'RE HAVING 13:26 HERE IN THIS BOOK. NOW SOMEONE IS GOING TO LOOK UP, 13:29 FOR ME, ROMANS 2:13 - YOU'LL HAVE THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. 13:34 WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM, WE TALK ABOUT FAITH, 13:38 WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BELIEF, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS BY 13:40 FAITH, A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS 13:45 BELIEVE AND, BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE, YOU NEVER HAVE TO OBEY 13:49 - OR OBEDIENCE IS NOT EXPECTED - AND THAT'S A MYTH. 13:56 AND SO, THERE'S A NUMBER OF VERSES WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IN 13:58 OUR NEXT SECTION HERE UNDER THE LAW, THAT HELP EXPLAIN WHAT IS 14:01 THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND LAW. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD 14:05 AND HAVE DAN READ ROMANS CHAPTER 2, VERSE 13 FOR US. 14:09 >>"(FOR NOT THE HEARERS OF THE LAW ARE JUST IN THE SIGHT OF 14:12 GOD, BUT THE DOERS OF THE LAW WILL BE JUSTIFIED;" 14:16 >>I MIGHT JUST THROW IT OUT THERE TO YOU - THANK YOU VERY 14:19 MUCH, DAN - WHERE DO PEOPLE GET THE IDEA THAT WHEN YOU'RE 14:26 CHRISTIAN, YOU NO LONGER NEED TO KEEP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS? 14:33 HAVE YOU HEARD ANY VERSES? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD 14:36 'NOT UNDER THE LAW'? NAME ANOTHER ONE. 14:39 WHERE DO PEOPLE - A LOT OF PEOPLE - 14:40 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE RUN INTO FOLKS THAT THINK THAT, 14:42 YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU'RE SAVED - WE'RE SAVED BY FAITH - 14:44 WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP THE LAW. WHY DO THEY BELIEVE THAT? 14:47 >>NAILED TO THE CROSS. >>IT'S NAILED TO THE CROSS 14:49 - COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 2. WHAT ELSE? I'LL REPEAT WHAT YOU 14:53 SAY SO THAT PEOPLE LISTENING CAN HEAR. WHAT ARE THE OTHER REASONS 14:56 PEOPLE GET THAT IDEA? DELIVERED FROM THE LAW. 15:01 >>EVERY DAY IS ALIKE. >>WHERE'S THAT VERSE? 15:07 LET NO MAN JUDGE YOU IN REGARDS - THAT'S COLOSSIANS 2, AGAIN. 15:11 THERE'S A NUMBER OF VERSES, BUT ONE THING I WANT YOU TO KNOW - 15:14 OR NOTICE - WHO IS THE WRITER OF VIRTUALLY EVERY VERSE THAT IS 15:19 USED WHERE PEOPLE GET THE IDEA THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THE 15:23 LAW? PAUL. IN ALMOST EVERY CASE, HE IS 15:27 THE ONE WHO SAYS THESE THINGS. LOOK, WITH ME, IN THE SECOND 15:31 BOOK OF PETER, CHAPTER 3. I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. 15:35 2 PETER 3 - GO TO VERSE 15, "AND CONSIDER THAT THE LONGSUFFERING 15:41 OF OUR LORD IS SALVATION - AS ALSO OUR BELOVED BROTHER PAUL, 15:46 ACCORDING TO THE WISDOM GIVEN TO HIM, HAS WRITTEN TO YOU, AS ALSO 15:50 IN ALL HIS EPISTLES, SPEAKING IN THEM OF THESE THINGS, IN WHICH 15:55 ARE SOME THINGS HARD TO UNDERSTAND," - NOW PETER IS 16:00 WRITING - HE'S TALKING ABOUT OUR BROTHER PAUL WHO'S WRITTEN TO 16:04 YOU MANY EPISTLES, AND HE TALKS ABOUT SALVATION, BUT IN HIS 16:08 EPISTLES, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND. 16:11 IT SAYS, "ACCORDING TO THE WISDOM GIVEN TO HIM," - PAUL WAS 16:13 PROBABLY THE MOST EDUCATED OF THE APOSTLES. 16:17 WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING, A LITTLE LATER TODAY, ABOUT THE 16:19 APOSTLE ANDREW - AND YOU'LL SEE, MOST OF THE APOSTLES, WITH THE 16:22 EXCEPTION OF JUDAS AND MATTHEW, WHO WAS AN ACCOUNTANT, AND, 16:27 LATER, PAUL IS CONSIDERED AN APOSTLE - THEY WERE UNEDUCATED - 16:32 THEY'RE FISHERMEN, THEY'RE SHEPHERDS, AND PAUL SPOKE MANY 16:37 LANGUAGES, WIDELY TRAVELED, STUDIED AT THE FEET OF GAMALIEL, 16:41 ONE OF THE WISEST PROFESSORS IN JERUSALEM, WROTE DEEPER THINGS, 16:49 AND SOME OF IT WAS SOPHISTICATED AND EVEN PETER UNDERSTOOD THERE 16:54 ARE SOME THINGS THAT HE SAID THAT ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND, AND 16:56 THOSE - I WANT TO FINISH WHAT PETER SAID, "AND CONSIDER THAT 16:59 THE LONGSUFFERING OF OUR LORD IS SALVATION - AS ALSO OUR BELOVED 17:02 BROTHER PAUL, ACCORDING TO THE WISDOM GIVEN TO HIM, HAS WRITTEN 17:04 TO YOU, AS ALSO IN ALL HIS EPISTLES, SPEAKING IN THEM OF 17:08 THESE THINGS, IN WHICH ARE SOME THINGS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, WHICH 17:11 UNTAUGHT AND UNSTABLE PEOPLE TWIST TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION 17:17 AS THEY DO ALSO THE REST OF THE SCRIPTURES." 17:19 NOW, IT'S INTERESTING, HE COMPARES PAUL'S WRITING TO 17:21 SCRIPTURE. SO PETER IS NOT DIMINISHING THE 17:25 INSPIRATION OF WHAT PAUL WRITES. "YOU THEREFORE, BELOVED, SINCE 17:29 YOU KNOW THIS BEFOREHAND, BEWARE LEST YOU ALSO FALL FORM YOUR OWN 17:32 STEADFASTNESS, BEING LED AWAY WITH THE ERROR OF THE WICKED." 17:36 NOW, THAT WORD THERE 'WICKED' IS 'LAWLESSNESS'. 17:39 PETER IS SAYING, 'DON'T FOLLOW THOSE WHO TWIST THE THINGS THAT 17:44 PAUL SAYS, SO THAT THEY'RE LAWLESS. 17:49 LAWLESS MEANS 'WITHOUT LAW'. PEOPLE TAKE THE THINGS THAT PAUL 17:53 SAYS AND THEY TRY TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE YOU DON'T 17:55 NEED TO KEEP THE LAW. WHAT DID JESUS SAY ABOUT THE 17:58 RELATION BETWEEN THE LAW AND SALVATION? 18:02 MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 - WHAT IS IT, VERSE 19 [17]? 18:04 - "THINK NOT THAT I HAVE COME TO DESTROY THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS. 18:07 I DID NOT COME TO DESTROY BUT TO FULFILL. 18:10 FOR....HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY BEFORE ONE JOT OR ONE 18:13 TITTLE WILL BY NO MEANS PASS FROM THE LAW....WHOSOEVER 18:16 THEREFOR BREAKS ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE COMMANDMENTS, AND 18:19 TEACHES MEN SO, SHALL BE CALLED LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; 18:22 BUT WHOEVER DOES AND TEACHES THEM, HE SHALL BE CALLED GREAT 18:25 IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN;" - 'GOOD MASTER, WHAT GOOD THINGS 18:28 SHOULD I DO THAT I MIGHT EXPERIENCE ETERNAL LIFE?' 18:30 JESUS SAYS, 'WHY DO YOU CALL ME 'GOOD'? 18:33 THERE IS ONE GOOD, THAT IS GOD, BUT IF YOU WOULD ENTER LIFE KEEP 18:35 THE COMMANDMENTS.' AND HE SAID, 'WHICH?' 18:39 'THOU SHALT NOT KILL, THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, THOU SHALT 18:42 NOT LIE'' - AND HE STARTS TO GO THROUGH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 18:46 NOT THAT WE'RE SAVED BY KEEPING THEM, BUT YOU'RE DEFINITELY NOT 18:50 GOING TO HEAVEN DELIBERATELY BREAKING THEM. NOW, LET ME SEE 18:54 IF I CAN ILLUSTRATE IT THIS WAY: ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH OR WORKS? 18:59 >>FAITH. >>FAITH. THAT'S JUST SIMPLE, 19:01 RIGHT? THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, WERE 19:04 THEY SAVED FROM EGYPT BY WORKS OR BY FAITH? 19:08 >>FAITH. >>WHAT HAPPENED? 19:12 MOSES SAID, 'TAKE A LAMB, TAKE THE BLOOD OF A LAMB, THE ANGEL 19:15 OF JUDGMENT WILL PASS OVER YOU BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB 19:20 AND YOU WILL BE FREE FROM YOUR SLAVERY.' AND AFTER THE 19:23 PASSOVER, THEY LEFT. RIGHT? THEN, AFTER THEY CROSSED THE RED 19:28 SEA, HE BRINGS THEM TO MOUNT SINAI. 19:31 WHAT DOES THE RED SEA SYMBOLIZE? BAPTISM. WHEN DOES HE GIVE THEM 19:37 THE LAW, BEFORE OR AFTER THE RED SEA? 19:40 >>AFTER THE RED SEA. >>WERE THEY SAVED BY KEEPING THE 19:43 LAW OR WERE THEY SAVED BY THE LAMB? 19:44 >>THE LAMB. >>BUT AFTER THEY ARE SAVED, DOES 19:48 THE BIBLE SAY, 'GO THEREFORE, TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING 19:51 THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING 19:54 THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS I'VE COMMANDED YOU.' IS THERE 19:57 TEACHING TO OBSERVE COMMANDMENTS THAT COMES AFTER BAPTISM? 20:01 >>YES. >>AND WHY DO WE OBEY? 20:05 IF WE LOVE HIM. HOW DOES THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BEGIN? 20:08 "I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF 20:11 EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE" - IN OTHER WORDS, 'I'VE 20:13 SAVED YOU FROM SLAVERY, IF YOU LOVE ME, HERE'S MY LAW.' SO EVEN 20:17 THE PREAMBLE FOR THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - PART OF WHAT GOD 20:20 SPOKE AND WROTE - IS SAYING, 'I'VE SHOWN YOU I LOVE YOU. 20:23 NOW, DO YOU LOVE ME? OBEY MY LAW.' SO, IT'S 20:26 ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. THE IDEA THAT WE'RE SAVED BY 20:29 FAITH IS NOT A NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT, IT'S AN OLD 20:33 TESTAMENT CONCEPT. YOU FIND THE NEW COVENANT 20:36 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. I'VE SAID THAT SEVERAL TIMES. 20:38 ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GET BACK TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 20:41 I BROUGHT OUT A FEW OF THESE VERSES HERE - I SHOULDN'T SAY 'I 20:44 DID' - THEY'RE ALSO IN THE LESSON - BECAUSE IT ILLUSTRATES 20:48 THAT EVEN PAUL UNDERSTANDS THAT. PAUL SAID - CANNOT BE 20:51 MISUNDERSTOOD - ROMANS 2:13, "(FOR NOT THE HEARERS OF THE LAW 20:55 ARE JUST IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, BUT THE DOERS OF THE LAW..." 20:58 DIDN'T JESUS SAY, 'IT'S NOT EVERYONE THAT SAYS 'LORD, LORD', 21:01 BUT THEY THAT DO'. AND JAMES SAYS, 'DON'T BE 21:04 JUST HEARERS OF THE WORD, BE DOERS...NOT HEARERS, DECEIVING 21:08 YOUR OWN SELVES.' SO THE BIBLE WRITERS ARE PRETTY CLEAR, JESUS 21:11 AND THE APOSTLES - WE'RE NOT JUST TO HEAR THE LAW, 21:14 WE'RE TO DO WHAT? DO THE LAW. DO THE WILL OF GOD. 21:21 AND - BUT WHY DO WE DO IT? GENESIS 26, VERSE 5 - NOW WE'RE 21:26 GOING TO TALK ABOUT ABRAHAM. ABRAHAM WAS SAVED BY FAITH, 21:30 SO HE DIDN'T NEED TO OBEY. BUT YOU LOOK IN GENESIS 26:5, 21:34 "BECAUSE ABRAHAM OBEYED MY VOICE AND KEPT MY CHARGE, MY 21:37 COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUES, AND MY LAWS." 21:39 BOY, THAT COVERS THE WHOLE GAMUT, IF YOU SAY, 'WELL, IT'S 21:42 JUST TALKING ABOUT CEREMONY HERE' OR 'IT'S JUST TALKING 21:44 ABOUT THE STATUTES - IT COVERS THEM ALL - 'MY VOICE, MY CHARGE, 21:49 MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, MY LAW' - IF YOU DO ALL THAT, 21:54 YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.' BUT WHY DID ABRAHAM DO IT? 21:57 TO BE SAVED OR BECAUSE HE LOVED GOD? 22:00 DID HE SHOW HIS LOVE FOR GOD? ROMANS 6:1 - 4, AGAIN, LEST 22:07 ANYONE MISUNDERSTAND, PAUL WRITES, "WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? 22:11 SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND?" 22:14 - ALRIGHT, WHAT IS SIN? >>TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW. 22:17 >>AMONG OTHER THINGS, SIN IS BREAKING THE LAW. 22:19 DO WE CONTINUE TO BREAK THE LAW SO WE CAN HAVE LOTS OF GRACE IN 22:22 OUR LIVES? BOY IF I - YOU KNOW, WHENEVER 22:25 I SIN, I TURN TO GOD. HE EXTENDS GRACE TO ME. 22:27 IF I WANT MORE GRACE, I NEED TO JUST SIN MORE.' WELL, THAT'S THE 22:31 WAY SOME PEOPLE INTERPRET IT - WHERE SIN ABOUNDS, GRACE ABOUNDS 22:34 - SO LET'S JUST ABOUND IN SIN. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S SAYING. 22:40 "WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN 22:42 THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? CERTAINLY NOT!" 22:44 I WAS SHARING MY TESTIMONY IN TEXAS, YEARS AGO, AND AFTERWARD 22:52 A LADY CAME UP TO ME AND SHE WAS MARRIED AND A MEMBER OF THE 22:56 CHURCH AND A LEADER IN THE CHURCH AND SHE - SHE SAID, 22:59 'PASTOR DOUG,' - SHE SAID - 'I ENVY YOU. 23:03 YOU KNOW, YOU WERE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD AND YOU DID EVERYTHING 23:06 AND THEN YOU HAD THIS DRAMATIC CONVERSION AND NOW YOU'RE SO 23:08 EXCITED ABOUT YOUR FAITH AND YOU'RE SHARING YOUR FAITH' - 23:10 AND SHE SAID - 'I'VE BEEN IN THE CHURCH FOR SEVERAL 23:13 GENERATIONS. I FEEL LIKE, MAYBE IF I JUST GET 23:15 OUT THERE AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD, THEN I'LL FALL IN LOVE 23:19 WITH THE LORD.' I SAID, 'OH, HEAVEN FORBID!' 23:22 I THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST KIDDING. A FEW MONTHS LATER SHE LEFT 23:27 HER HUSBAND, MOVED IN WITH A GIRLFRIEND AND WENT 23:31 WAY OUT IN THE WORLD. AND I NEVER HEARD SHE CAME BACK. 23:35 AND I THOUGHT, 'DID I EVER SAY ANYTHING THAT GAVE HER THAT 23:38 IDEA?' THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD'S SAYING. 23:42 DON'T - DON'T SAY, 'OH, I'M JUST GOING TO GO SIN AND THEN I'LL 23:45 HAVE LOTS OF GRACE.' YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE LOOK AT MARY 23:47 MAGDALENE - TO WHOM - HE, TO WHOM MUCH IS FORGIVEN, LOVES 23:51 MUCH' - YOU KNOW, THAT VERSE. AND THEY SAY, 'WELL, IF I JUST 23:54 GO OUT - AND THE MORE I SIN AND I REPENT, THEN I'LL LOVE HIM 23:57 MORE.' NO, PAUL IS SAYING, 'GOD FORBID! 24:00 DON'T THINK THAT WAY.' PEOPLE WHO THINK LIKE THAT OFTEN REACH 24:03 THE EDGE AND NEVER COME BACK. AND SO, HE'S SAYING, "HOW SHALL 24:07 WE WHO [DIED] TO SIN" - I'M STILL IN ROMANS 6:2 - "HOW SHALL 24:12 WE WHO [DIED] TO SIN LIVE ANY LONGER IN IT? 24:15 OR DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT AS MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO 24:17 CHRIST JESUS WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? 24:20 THEREFORE WE WERE [BURIED] WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM INTO DEATH, 24:24 THAT JUST AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF 24:26 THE FATHER," - WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN AFTER WE'RE CRUCIFIED 24:29 WITH CHRIST, WE'RE RAISED? - "SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN 24:32 NEWNESS OF LIFE." NOW WHAT DOES THAT NEW LIFE LOOK LIKE? 24:37 PAUL SAYS, 'OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY, ALL THINGS ARE 24:40 BECOME NEW'. YOU'RE A NEW CREATURE. 24:44 SO, ARE WE LIVING THE OLD LIFE OF THE OLD MAN IF WE'RE NEW 24:47 CREATURES? >>NO. 24:48 >>NO, THIS IS WHAT HE'S SAYING, 'GOD FORBID THAT YOU THINK I 24:50 SHOULD CONTINUE IN SIN.' ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE SECTION 24:53 WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT GRACE AND DEBT - IN HEBREWS 11 IT SAYS, 24:59 'BY FAITH, WHEN HE WAS CALLED' - ABRAHAM - 'TO GO INTO A PLACE 25:03 THAT HE SHOULD AFTER RECEIVE FOR INHERITANCE, HE OBEYED AND HE 25:06 WENT OUT NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WENT.' SO, SOMETHING YOU'LL 25:13 NOTICE IS THE AGE OF CHRISTIANITY IS DIVIDED IN THREE 25:16 GREAT EPOCHS. THE FIRST TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF 25:20 BIBLE HISTORY YOU HAVE THE AGE OF THE PATRIARCHS. 25:24 FROM THE TIME OF CREATION - AND NO ONE KNOWS THAT EXACT DATE - I 25:28 THINK BISHOP USHER USED TO SURMISE THAT IT WAS 2004 B.C. 25:34 - TO THE TIME OF ABRAHAM, WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 2000 - RATHER 25:38 BISHOP USHER WAS 4004 B.C. - ABRAHAM WAS BORN 2004 B.C. 25:42 - YOU'VE GOT THE AGE OF THE PATRIARCHS. WHO ARE THEY? 25:46 ADAM, METHUSELAH, NOAH, ENOCH - THEY'RE ALL SAVED, OKAY? 25:54 THERE'S OTHERS I DIDN'T MENTION. WERE THEY CIRCUMCISED? 25:58 I ASK BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO COME UP IN THIS CHAPTER TODAY. 26:00 THEN ABRAHAM'S BORN - GOD NOW CALLS ABRAHAM - CALLS HIM TO 26:04 LEAVE THE LAND OF MESOPOTAMIA, WHERE THE SETTLERS FROM THE 26:07 FLOOD HAD BEGUN TO TURN TO OTHER GODS - 'COME OUT. 26:11 I'M GOING TO CALL YOU TO A NATION WHERE YOU CAN BE A LIGHT 26:14 TO THE WORLD.' AND ABRAHAM GOES OUT - NOW, FOR 26:17 THE NEXT 2,000 YEARS, GOD WORKS THROUGH THE HEBREWS - THE JEWS 26:23 - MAKES A SPECIAL COVENANT WITH THEM. 26:25 THEN, ABOUT 4 B.C., JESUS IS BORN. 26:28 IT'S 2,000 YEARS LATER. NOW, CHRIST APPEALS TO WHOSOEVER 26:32 WILL - SPIRITUAL JEWS - WHETHER JEW OR GENTILE, 26:36 THE GOSPEL GOES TO EVERYBODY. YOU'VE GOT 2,000, 2,000, 2,000 - 26:39 A TOTAL OF 6,000 YEARS - BRINGS US TO TODAY. 26:42 RIGHT NOW, YOU AND I ARE LIVING ABOUT, IF WE WENT BACK 2,000 26:45 YEARS, JESUS WOULD BE 21 OR SOMETHING NOW. 26:48 HE WAS BORN ABOUT 3 OR 4 B.C., RIGHT? 26:51 YOU STILL WITH ME? SO IT'S INTERESTING, WE'RE 26:54 LIVING EXACTLY 2,000 YEARS AFTER CHRIST - MORE THAN 2,000 YEARS 26:58 AFTER HIS BIRTH, LESS THAN 2,000 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH. 27:01 IT'S JUST INTERESTING. AND THEN, HOW LONG DO WE SPEND 27:04 IN HEAVEN LIVING AND REIGNING WITH THE LORD? 27:06 IT'S LIKE A THOUSAND-YEAR SABBATH, RIGHT? 27:09 MANY OF THE ANCIENT PROTESTANT REFORMERS TALKED ABOUT THE GREAT 27:12 WEEK OF TIME AND THAT THESE MILLENNIAL WEEKS ARE FILLED WITH 27:18 THOUSAND-YEAR EPOCHS. ANYWAY - AND SO YOU'VE GOT 27:22 THESE THREE DIFFERENT AGES. WHEN ABRAHAM IS CALLED, HE IS 27:25 CALLED TO GO TO A PLACE THAT HE'S NOT SEEN, AND HE OBEYS AND 27:28 HE GOES AND GOD BEGINS THIS NEW AGE. 27:31 GO TO HEBREWS 11:17, "BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS TESTED, 27:36 OFFERED UP ISAAC, AND HE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE PROMISES 27:41 OFFERED UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON," - NOW WHY DO YOU THINK 27:44 PAUL IS USING THAT LANGUAGE 'ONLY BEGOTTEN'? 27:48 WHERE DO YOU HEAR THE WORDS 'ONLY BEGOTTEN'? 27:50 SPEAKING OF WHO? >>JESUS. 27:53 >>SPEAKING OF JESUS. DIDN'T ABRAHAM HAVE ANOTHER SON? 27:59 WHY IS ISAAC CALLED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN? BECAUSE ONE WAS BORN 28:04 OF THE FLESH AND ONE WAS BORN OF THE SPIRIT. 28:07 ONE WAS BORN BY WORKS AND ONE WAS BORN BY FAITH. 28:12 AND HE OFFERS UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, "OF WHOM IT WAS 28:16 SAID, 'IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED,'" - THE PROMISES, THE 28:19 MESSIANIC PROMISE WOULD COME THROUGH ISAAC - "CONCLUDING THAT 28:23 GOD WAS ABLE TO RAISE HIM UP, EVEN FROM THE DEAD, FROM WHICH 28:26 HE ALSO RECEIVED HIM IN A FIGURATIVE SENSE." 28:28 - I MEAN, HE WAS ABOUT TO KILL HIM. IT'S LIKE HE HAD SAID, 28:31 'HE'S DEAD'. WHEN THE ANGEL STOPPED HIM 28:32 IT WAS LIKE A RESURRECTION. AND HE IS A FIGURE MEANS HE IS A 28:36 TYPE OF CHRIST WHO ROSE FROM THE DEAD. 28:40 AND ABRAHAM OFFERING HIS SON HAS BECOME AN ALLEGORY, TO US, OF 28:44 GOD OFFERING HIS SON. SO THAT'S A LOT OF FAITH. 28:47 ABRAHAM IS THE GREAT PATRIARCH OF THE JEWISH NATION. 28:54 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ, FOR ME, JAMES 2:21 AND 22 - ALRIGHT? 28:58 BEFORE YOU DO THAT, I'M GOING TO READ JOHN 8:56 AND 58, JESUS 29:03 SAID, "'YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM REJOICED TO SEE MY DAY, AND HE 29:07 SAW IT AND WAS GLAD.' AND THE JEWS SAID TO HIM, 'YOU ARE NOT 29:10 YET FIFTY YEARS OLD, AND HAVE YOU SEEN ABRAHAM?' 29:12 " - I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, HE'S SPEAKING IN FIGURES. 29:14 JESUS LIVED 2,000 YEARS AFTER ABRAHAM - AND HE SAID, 'ABRAHAM 29:17 LONGED TO SEE MY DAY'. ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? 29:20 ABRAHAM WAS LONGING TO SEE THE COMING OF THE LORD AND HE HAD TO 29:23 WAIT 2,000 YEARS. WELL, HE DIDN'T WAIT 29:25 2,000 YEARS, HE DIED. BUT IT TOOK 2,000 YEARS. 29:28 AND THEN THE DISCIPLES WERE LONGING TO SEE THE SECOND COMING 29:31 OF JESUS. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? >>2,000 YEARS. 29:35 >>2,000 - DOES GOD FORGET HIS PROMISES? NO, HE'LL COME AGAIN. 29:40 BUT JESUS SAID, 'ABRAHAM LONGED TO SEE MY DAY AND HE SAW IT AND 29:45 WAS GLAD.' WHEN DID ABRAHAM SEE JESUS' DAY? 29:49 ON THE MOUNTAIN WHEN HE OFFERED HIS SON. 29:52 THE BEAUTY OF THE GOSPEL, THE STORY OF SALVATION THAT GOD 29:55 WOULD OFFER HIS SON, FINALLY BECAME CLEAR. 29:58 GOD REVEALED, THROUGH THE SPIRIT, TO HIM, THROUGH THAT 30:00 WHOLE EXPERIENCE, 'ABRAHAM, YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHY DID I ASK 30:04 YOU TO OFFER MY SON? BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE 30:06 FATHER OF A GREAT NATION AND THEY WILL BE SAVED 30:08 BECAUSE I OFFER MY SON. AND WHAT YOU DID, YOU ARE WORTHY 30:13 OF BEING THE FATHER OF THIS NATION, BECAUSE YOU WERE 30:16 WILLING TO MAKE THAT SUPREME SACRIFICE.'' THIS IS, YOU KNOW, 30:21 I'M READING BETWEEN THE LINES HERE. 30:22 GOD DOESN'T SAY IT JUST LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK YOU ALL KNOW 30:24 THAT'S THE IMPLIED STORY THAT'S HAPPENING HERE. 30:27 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ, FOR US, JAMES 2:21-22. 30:32 >>"WAS NOT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER JUSTIFIED BY WORKS WHEN HE 30:35 OFFERED ISAAC HIS SON ON THE ALTAR? 30:38 DO YOU SEE THAT FAITH WAS WORKING TOGETHER WITH HIS WORKS, 30:42 AND BY WORKS FAITH WAS MADE PERFECT?" 30:45 >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED 30:48 DOING EVANGELISM, I WOULD USE THIS ILLUSTRATION - I HEARD 30:52 ANOTHER EVANGELIST USE IT AND I JUST PERMANENTLY BORROWED IT - 30:56 THAT THERE WAS A MAN WHO USED TO FERRY PEOPLE ACROSS THE RIVER, 31:00 AND HE WAS A CHRISTIAN. AND WHEN THEY WOULD CLIMB IN HIS 31:03 ROWBOAT, YOU KNOW, HE'D START TAKING THEM ACROSS THE RIVER 31:06 AND, AS THEY WERE SITTING THERE IN THE BRIEF LITTLE PASSENGER 31:10 SECTION, THEY NOTICED THAT HE HAD BURNED, IN HIS OARS, TWO 31:14 WORDS - ONE OAR SAID 'FAITH', THE OTHER OAR SAID 'WORKS'. 31:18 AND, INVARIABLY, SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE RIVER, THEY WOULD SAY 31:20 TO THE OLD MAN THAT WAS ROWING THEM, 'WHY DO YOU HAVE 'FAITH' 31:24 ON ONE PADDLE AND 'WORKS' ON THE OTHER?' 31:26 HE'D SAY, 'I'M GLAD YOU ASKED.' AND HE WOULD PULL IN ONE OAR AND 31:29 HE'D ROW WITH ONE. OF COURSE, THEY'D GO IN A CIRCLE. 31:31 THEN HE'D PUT THAT ONE BACK IN THE WATER AND PULL ON THE 31:33 'FAITH' OAR AND HE'D GO IN THE OTHER CIRCLE. 31:36 HE'D SAY, 'IF YOU WANT TO GET ACROSS THE RIVER, YOU NEED FAITH 31:39 AND WORKS TOGETHER.' >>AMEN. 31:42 >>WELL, I DON'T SHARE THAT ILLUSTRATION ANYMORE BECAUSE 31:43 IT'S NOT ACCURATE. IT'S A GOOD STORY THOUGH. 31:50 DO WORKS GET US ACROSS THE RIVER. 31:54 >>YES. >>GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL, 31:58 HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE CATHOLICS SAID TO LUTHER, 'IT'S 32:01 A COMBINATION OF FAITH AND WORKS' - LUTHER SAID IT'S FAITH 32:05 ALONE. WHAT IS THE - WHAT IS THE STORY OF THE REFORMATION? 32:09 SOLA FIDE - FAITH ALONE - SOLA SCRIPTURA - SCRIPTURE ALONE - 32:15 GRACIA - SOLA GRACIA - GRACE ALONE - FOR THE GLORY OF GOD 32:18 ALONE - I'M FORGETTING ONE OF THE FIVE PREMISES THERE, OF THE 32:23 REFORMATION. BUT IT'S NOT THE OAR OF WORKS 32:29 ALONG WITH FAITH - THAT'S NOT THE BEST ILLUSTRATION. 32:32 WILL THERE BE WORKS IN THE FAITHFUL LIFE? 32:34 YES, BUT WE ARE NOT ROWING OUR WAY ACROSS BY OUR WORKS. 32:39 THE WORKS COME IN THE WAKE OF YOUR FAITH. 32:44 SO YOU'VE GOT TWO OARS THAT SAY 'FAITH' AND YOU'VE GOT A RUDDER 32:46 THAT SAYS 'WORKS'. SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? 32:49 IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF FAITH. AND SO, I THINK 32:55 IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION. 32:57 NOW, IT'S INTERESTING - JOHN WAS JUST READING A VERSE FROM JAMES 33:01 WHERE IT SAYS 'ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY WORKS' AND THEN WE 33:05 READ 'ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH'. 33:09 DID YOU NOTICE I JUST READ, IN HEBREWS, ABOUT ABRAHAM'S FAITH? 33:12 HERE JAMES SAYS 'WORKS'. CAN YOU THINK OF ANOTHER BIBLE 33:14 CHARACTER WHERE IT SAYS THAT THEY SHOWED THEIR WORKS AND 33:18 THEY SHOWED THEIR FAITH? THE BIBLE SAYS RAHAB. 33:21 WAS NOT SHE SAVED BY FAITH WHEN SHE HID THE TWO MESSENGERS? 33:25 AND THEN, JAMES SAYS, 'WAS NOT RAHAB SAVED BY WORKS?' 33:30 HE DOESN'T USE THE PHRASE 'SAVED BY WORKS', BUT DIDN'T SHE SHOW 33:32 HER WORKS? AND SO YOU GO, WELL, WHICH IS IT? COULD YOU COME UP 33:41 HERE FOR A MINUTE? I WANT TO DO AN ILLUSTRATION. 33:42 YEAH - NO, NO, NO, DEANNE, I'M POINTING TO THE GUY BEHIND YOU. 33:45 HE'S ONE OF OUR AFCOE STUDENTS. THANK YOU, I KNOW IT LOOKS - 33:46 IT'S HARD TO TELL, AT THAT DISTANCE, WHERE I'M POINTING. 33:48 (LAUGHTER) I JUST FORGET YOUR NAME AND SO I POINTED. 33:51 >>BOGDAN. >>BOGDAN, THAT'S RIGHT. 33:53 OKAY, YOU DON'T FIND THAT ON A KEY CHAIN SO I CAN FORGET IT. 33:58 IN THREE SECONDS, LIGHTNING IS GOING TO STRIKE THE SPOT WHERE 34:02 YOU'RE STANDING. HE BELIEVED ME. 34:07 NOW, HE DIDN'T NEED TO BELIEVE ME BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO 34:08 HAPPEN. >>JUST IN CASE. 34:11 >>THANK YOU, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ILLUSTRATE. 34:14 I DIDN'T MAKE HIM MOVE, I JUST TOLD HIM SOMETHING WAS GOING TO 34:18 HAPPEN AND HE ACTED BASED ON FAITH IN WHAT I SAID. 34:23 SO, WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, 'FOR GOD SO LOVES THE WORLD HE GAVE 34:26 HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL 34:31 NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE' - THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT 34:35 VERSE, BUT THAT VERSE IS MISUNDERSTOOD BY A LOT OF 34:38 PEOPLE. WHY? BECAUSE THEY MISUNDERSTOOD 'BELIEVE'. 34:43 PEOPLE THINK 'BELIEVE', IN OUR LANGUAGE AND PROBABLY OTHERS, 34:47 MEANS THAT IT IS TRUE - THAT WE BELIEVE THAT GOD DIED FOR US, WE 34:53 BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVES US - BUT TO BELIEVE IN JESUS MEANS NOT 34:57 JUST TO BELIEVE HE DIED ON THE CROSS, IT MEANS TO BELIEVE THE 35:00 TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND ACT ACCORDING TO THAT BELIEF. 35:04 IN THE HEBREW MIND, IF SOMEONE SAID, 'LIGHTNING'S GOING TO 35:08 STRIKE. DO YOU BELIEVE ME?' THEY MOVE. 35:11 IF JESUS SAID, 'ONLY THOSE WHO TAKE UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW 35:14 ME HAVE ETERNAL LIFE' - IF YOU BELIEVE HIM, YOU DENY YOURSELF, 35:19 YOU TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, YOU FOLLOW HIM. 35:20 THAT SHOWS YOU BELIEVE HIM. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? 35:23 SO REAL FAITH IS GOING TO BE SEEN IN ACTION. 35:29 DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >>YES. 35:30 >>YOU STILL WITH ME? THERE'S A LOT OF - THEY CALL IT 35:33 'SLOPPY AGAPE' AND 'DISGRACE GRACE' AND 'BLAB IT AND GRAB IT' 35:41 AND THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT VERBS FOR IRRESPONSIBLE 35:46 CHRISTIANITY - THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN SAY, 'WELL, I'VE GOT FAITH 35:49 AND I'M JUST GOING TO CONTINUE IN A LIFE OF SIN.' THIS IS WHAT 35:51 PAUL SAYS: 'DO WE CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MIGHT ABOUND? 35:54 GOD FORBID! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT FAITH 35:55 IS.' REAL FAITH MEANS YOU BELIEVE IN THE WORD OF GOD AND 36:01 YOU ACT UPON WHAT YOU BELIEVE. YOU BELIEVE HE FORGIVES YOU 36:05 WHEN YOU ASK HIM AND YOU, ACCORDINGLY, ARE HAPPY. 36:09 AND, BECAUSE HE SAYS 'I GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE AS A GIFT', 36:12 YOU SAY, 'WOW, JESUS DIED TO SAVE ME FROM MY SINS. 36:16 I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THAT GIFT, I, NOW, WANT TO FOLLOW HIS 36:19 WORD.' YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING HIS WORD TO BE SAVED, YOU'RE 36:22 FOLLOWING HIS WORD BECAUSE YOU ARE THANKFUL TO HAVE THE GIFT OF 36:24 ETERNAL LIFE. AM I RIGHT? DOES ANYONE DISAGREE WITH ME? 36:32 THIS IS HOW IT WORKS, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS HOW IT'S TAUGHT. 36:37 ALRIGHT, LET'S KEEP GOING. GALATIANS 3:5 - WE HAVEN'T EVEN 36:40 GOTTEN TO ROMANS YET AND I WANT TO READ ROMANS 4:1-17. 36:44 GALATIANS 3:5, "THEREFORE HE WHO SUPPLIES THE SPIRIT TO YOU AND 36:49 WORKS MIRACLES AMONG YOU, DOES HE DO IT BY THE WORKS OF THE 36:52 LAW," - BY THE WAY, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTICE THAT PAUL, 36:55 WRITING TO THE GALATIANS, SAID THAT THERE WERE EVEN MIRACLES 36:57 STILL HAPPENING AMONG THEM AT THAT TIME - "DOES HE DO IT BY 37:01 THE WORKS OF THE LAW OR BY THE HEARING OF FAITH? 37:04 - JUST AS ABRAHAM" - NOW PAUL, AGAIN, IS USING ABRAHAM AS A 37:07 MODEL - "JUST AS ABRAHAM 'BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS 37:10 ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.' THEREFORE KNOW 37:13 THAT ONLY THOSE...ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM." 37:16 - AND THE SCRIPTURE - YEAH - "THEREFORE KNOW THAT ONLY THOSE 37:21 WHO ARE OF FAITH ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM. 37:24 AND THE SCRIPTURE, FORESEEING THAT GOD WOULD JUSTIFY THE 37:27 GENTILES BY FAITH, PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO ABRAHAM BEFOREHAND, 37:30 SAYING, 'IN YOU ALL THE NATIONS SHALL BE BLESSED.'" - IT WASN'T 37:35 JUST THE JEWS WOULD BE BLESSED, WHO ELSE WOULD BE BLESSED? 37:38 >>THE NATIONS. >>ALL THE NATIONS - 37:39 EVEN THE GENTILES. THROUGH WHO? THROUGH ABRAHAM. NOW THIS WENT 37:42 AGAINST SOME OF THE - THE HARD LINE JEWISH BELIEVERS IN 37:46 CHRISTIANITY THAT WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, 'YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE 37:49 LAWS OF MOSES AND YOU SOMEHOW EARN SALVATION BY DOING THAT. 37:52 PAUL SAID, 'NO, JEWS ARE SAVED BY FAITH, JUST LIKE ABRAHAM WAS 37:55 A JEW - OR HEBREW - SAVED BY FAITH, GENTILES ARE SAVED BY 37:58 FAITH.' AND THE PROMISE WAS THAT ALL NATIONS WOULD BE BLESSED 38:03 THROUGH ABRAHAM, AND THAT PROMISE CAME BEFORE THE LAW OF 38:06 CIRCUMCISION. ALRIGHT, I AM GOING TO READ - GO WITH ME TO 38:11 ROMANS CHAPTER 4 - THIS IS OUR PRINCIPLE STUDY FOR TODAY - JUST 38:17 TO MAKE SURE WE GET THROUGH IT, I'M GOING TO READ ROMANS 4:1-17 38:20 - BEAR WITH ME - AND THEN WE'LL BACK UP AND LOOK AT IT TOGETHER. 38:24 "WHAT THEN SHALL WE SAY THAT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER HAS FOUND 38:28 ACCORDING TO THE FLESH? FOR IF ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY 38:31 WORKS, HE HAS SOMETHING TO BOAST ABOUT, BUT NOT BEFORE GOD. 38:34 FOR WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURE SAY? 38:36 'ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR 38:39 RIGHTEOUSNESS.'" - HE'S QUOTING GENESIS 15:6 - "NOW TO HIM WHO 38:43 WORKS, THE WAGES ARE NOT COUNTED AS GRACE BUT AS DEBT. 38:47 BUT TO HIM WHO DOES NOT WORK BUT BELIEVES ON HIM WHO JUSTIFIES 38:49 THE UNGODLY, HIS FAITH IS ACCOUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, 38:53 JUST AS DAVID ALSO DESCRIBES THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE MAN TO WHOM 38:56 GOD IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS APART FROM WORKS:" - WHEN DAVID WROTE, 39:00 IN PSALM 32 - "'BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS ARE 39:03 FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED; BLESSED IS THE MAN TO 39:06 WHOM THE LORD SHALL NOT IMPUTE SIN.' DOES THIS BLESSEDNESS THEN 39:11 COME UPON THE CIRCUMCISED ONLY, OR UPON THE UNCIRCUMCISED ALSO? 39:15 FOR WE SAY THAT FAITH WAS ACCOUNTED TO ABRAHAM FOR 39:18 RIGHTEOUSNESS. HOW THEN WAS IT ACCOUNTED? 39:21 WHILE HE WAS CIRCUMCISED, OR UNCIRCUMCISED? 39:23 NOT WHILE CIRCUMCISED, BUT WHILE UNCIRCUMCISED. 39:27 AND HE RECEIVED THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION, A SEAL OF THE 39:30 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE FAITH WHICH HE HAD WHILE STILL 39:32 UNCIRCUMCISED, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FATHER OF ALL THOSE WHO 39:36 BELIEVE, THOUGH THEY ARE UNCIRCUMCISED, THAT 39:40 RIGHTEOUSNESS MIGHT BE IMPUTED TO THEM ALSO, AND THE FATHER OF 39:44 CIRCUMCISION TO THOSE WHO NOT ONLY ARE OF THE CIRCUMCISION, 39:47 BUT WHO ALSO WALK IN THE STEPS OF THE FAITH WHICH OUR FATHER 39:50 ABRAHAM HAD WHILE STILL UNCIRCUMCISED." 39:53 - I'LL BREAK THIS DOWN IN JUST A MINUTE - "FOR THE PROMISE THAT 39:55 HE WOULD BE THE HEIR OF THE WORLD WAS NOT TO ABRAHAM OR TO 39:58 HIS SEED THROUGH THE LAW, BUT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF 40:01 FAITH. FOR IF THOSE WHO ARE OF THE LAW 40:04 ARE HEIRS, FAITH IS MADE VOID AND THE PROMISE MADE OF NO 40:07 EFFECT, BECAUSE THE LAW BRINGS ABOUT WRATH; FOR WHERE 40:10 THERE IS NO LAW THERE IS NO TRANSGRESSION." 40:13 - NOW, BY THE WAY, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT VERSE - 'WHERE THERE'S 40:16 NO LAW THERE'S NO TRANSGRESSION'. 40:18 WILL THERE BE - IS THERE TRANSGRESSION IN THE WORLD 40:22 TODAY? >>YES. 40:23 >>THEN THERE MUST STILL BE LAW, RIGHT? - 40:25 "THEREFORE IT IS OF FAITH THAT IT MIGHT BE ACCORDING TO GRACE, 40:29 SO THAT THE PROMISE MIGHT BE SURE TO ALL THE SEED, NOT ONLY 40:33 TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE LAW, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE 40:35 FAITH OF ABRAHAM, WHO IS THE FATHER OF US ALL" - AND THEN THE 40:39 LAST VERSE - VERSE 17 - "(AS IT IS WRITTEN, 'I HAVE MADE YOU A 40:42 FATHER OF MANY NATIONS')" - NOT JUST THE HEBREWS - "IN THE 40:45 PRESENCE OF HIM WHOM HE BELIEVED - GOD, WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE 40:50 DEAD AND CALLS THOSE THINGS WHICH DO NOT EXIST AS THOUGH 40:53 THEY DID." SO EVEN BEFORE THESE OTHER NATIONS WERE BORN, GOD 40:59 DECLARED THAT, THROUGH ABRAHAM, THEY WOULD ALL BE REDEEMED. 41:02 ALRIGHT, LET'S BACK UP NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE BREAKING THIS 41:04 DOWN, HERE, IN A LITTLE BIT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROMISE 41:08 THAT GOD MADE TO ABRAHAM. NOW, THERE'S SEVERAL PROMISES. GO 41:11 WITH ME, FIRST, TO GENESIS 12. NOW, WHICH COMES FIRST, 41:14 GENESIS 12 OR GENESIS 15? >>GENESIS 12. 41:17 >>THAT'S, OF COURSE, A RHETORICAL QUESTION. 41:19 THAT'S IMPORTANT, AND WHAT PAUL SAYS HERE - HE WANTS YOU TO 41:22 NOTICE THAT. GO TO GENESIS 12 - NOTICE - YOU 41:29 DON'T HAVE TO LOOK IT UP; TAKE MY WORD FOR IT - PAUL - ABRAHAM 41:32 DOES NOT PRACTICE CIRCUMCISION OR GET THE COVENANT OF 41:35 CIRCUMCISION UNTIL GENESIS 17. SO WHEN DOES HE GET THE PROMISE 41:40 THAT HE'S GOING TO BE A FATHER OF NATIONS? 41:42 WHILE HE'S A JEW OR WHILE HE'S A GENTILE? 41:46 SEE, WHAT PAUL IS DOING IS HE'S WRITING TO THE JEWS WHO ARE 41:49 STRUGGLING WITH THE MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES IN ROME. 41:51 HE SAYS, 'YOU GUYS DON'T UNDERSTAND. 41:53 YOUR FATHER, THE ONE WHO'S THE MOST REVERED JEW OF ALL, 41:57 ABRAHAM, GOD CALLED HIM WHILE HE WAS A GENTILE. 42:01 HE MADE THE PROMISES TO HIM. HE ACCEPTED THEM BY FAITH, 42:03 WHILE HE WAS A GENTILE. GENESIS 12:1, "NOW THE LORD HAD 42:08 SAID TO ABRAM: 'GET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY, FROM YOUR FAMILY AND 42:11 FROM YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE, TO A LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. 42:13 I WILL MAKE YOU A GREAT NATION; I WILL BLESS YOU AND MAKE YOUR 42:16 NAME GREAT; AND YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING. 42:18 I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU, AND I WILL CURSE HIM WHO 42:21 CURSES YOU; AND IN YOU ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE 42:24 BLESSED.' SO ABRAM DEPARTED..." SO GOD MAKES A PROMISE TO 42:28 ABRAHAM TO GO TO A COUNTRY HE'S NEVER SEEN. 42:31 HE COULDN'T LOOK IT UP ON THE INTERNET. 42:33 SARAH WAS PROBABLY SAYING, 'WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?' 42:35 HE SAID, 'I DON'T KNOW.' SHE SAID, 'YOU SURE WE WANT TO DO 42:37 THIS?' I MEAN, DON'T YOU THINK 42:38 THEY HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS? 'YOU'RE MOVING TO THIS NEW 42:43 COUNTRY, DO YOU HAVE GUARANTEED EMPLOYMENT?' 42:45 'NO.' 'AND YOU'RE MOVING? DO WE HAVE ANY FAMILY THERE?' 42:50 'NO.' 'WE'RE GOING AWAY FROM OUR FATHER'S HOUSE.' WE'VE OFTEN 42:54 SEEN THAT WHEN A PERSON MOVES WITH THEIR SPOUSE AND THEIR 42:59 FAMILY'S IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY, IT'S HARD. 43:03 THEY HAVE TO GO BACK A LOT. ABRAHAM - THAT TOOK FAITH. 43:06 NOW, DOES HE ACT ON THIS FAITH WHILE HE IS CIRCUMCISED OR 43:10 UNCIRCUMCISED? >>UNCIRCUMCISED. 43:11 >>SO, TECHNICALLY, HE'S STILL A GENTILE, YOU SEE, AT THIS POINT. 43:15 THIS IS WHAT PAUL IS ARGUING TO THE BELIEVERS IN ROME. 43:18 AND SO, IT SAYS HE DEPARTED. HE WENT OUT BY FAITH. 43:21 WELL, THIS ISN'T THE ONLY PLACE. 43:24 SO WE'RE LOOKING ABOUT THE PROMISES. 43:26 HE OBEYED THE PROMISE OF GOD, HE BELIEVED HIM. 43:28 2 PETER 1:4, "BY WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US EXCEEDINGLY GREAT 43:33 AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, THAT THROUGH THESE YOU MAY BE 43:36 PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION 43:40 THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST." 43:42 - EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES. 43:44 HAVE YOU EVER ACCUMULATED A COMPILATION OF BIBLE PROMISES? 43:54 WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? AMMO. 44:00 WHEN YOU PRAY AND YOU CLAIM THE PROMISES OF GOD, DOES GOD HONOR 44:05 HIS WORD? >>YES. 44:07 >>IF YOU'VE GOT A PROMISE THAT YOU CAN BRING TO THE LORD WHEN 44:10 YOU PRAY, YOU'VE GOT A POTENT PRAYER. PETER SAYS WE'VE GOT 44:15 EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, THAT THROUGH THESE, 44:19 YOU MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE. HOW MANY OF YOU 44:22 WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE NATURE OF CHRIST? HOW DO WE GET IT? 44:26 YOU'RE THINKING THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE PROMISES THAT SAY, 'I'M 44:29 GOING TO HAVE MONEY, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A NEW PICK-UP 44:33 TRUCK, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE HEALTH, AND...' - A LOT OF 44:37 PROSPERITY PREACHERS SAY THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE ALL ABOUT 44:39 YOU BEING WEALTHY, HEALTHY, AND WISE. 44:41 WHY DOES PETER SAY WE WANT THE PROMISES OF GOD? 44:45 THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 44:47 WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE SHOULD PRAY FOR AS BELIEVERS? 44:51 BE LIKE JESUS - THAT'S FIRST. 44:54 ALL THE OTHER THINGS ARE ANCILLARY BLESSINGS - BUT GOD 44:57 HAS PROMISES ON THOSE THINGS TOO - "HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION 45:01 THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST." 45:03 HE'LL GIVE YOU THE DIVINE NATURE TO ESCAPE THE LUST OF THE FLESH 45:07 AND THE LUST OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE. 45:10 AND THROUGH THESE PROMISES WE'RE TRANSFORMED. 45:12 ROMANS 4:13 - IT SAYS, "FOR THE PROMISE THAT HE WOULD BE THE 45:18 HEIR OF THE WORLD WAS NOT TO ABRAHAM OR TO HIS SEED THROUGH 45:22 THE LAW, BUT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH." 45:25 NOW, WE JUST READ THAT. IT'S RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT 45:28 THESE PROMISES BECOME TRUE. NOW WE READ THE PROMISE THAT GOD 45:32 MADE TO ABRAHAM IN GENESIS 12, NOW LET'S LOOK AT THE PROMISE IN 45:35 GENESIS 15:13, "THEN HE SAID TO ABRAHAM: 'KNOW CERTAINLY THAT 45:40 YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE STRANGERS IN A LAND THAT IS NOT 45:43 THEIRS, AND WILL SERVE THEM, AND THEY WILL AFFLICT THEM FOUR 45:46 HUNDRED YEARS. AND ALSO THE NATION WHOM THEY SERVE I WILL 45:49 JUDGE; AFTERWARD THEY SHALL COME OUT WITH GREAT POSSESSIONS.'" 45:53 THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE PROMISE I WAS GOING TO READ. 45:55 I WANTED TO READ THE PROMISE WHERE IT SAYS ABRAHAM BELIEVED 45:58 GOD AND HE ACCOUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 46:00 WELL, TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SECTION HERE BECAUSE 46:02 I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND THAT GETS COVERED UP AHEAD. 46:06 SOMEONE IS GOING TO READ, FOR ME, ROMANS 2:29, IN A MINUTE, 46:09 OKAY? LET ME READ GALATIANS 3:7. WHAT IS A REAL JEW? 46:14 "THEREFORE KNOW THAT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE OF FAITH ARE SONS OF 46:18 ABRAHAM." NOW EVERY JEW IS GOING TO SAY, 46:23 'I'M A SON OF ABRAHAM.' DID JESUS, SOMETIMES, TELL CERTAIN 46:26 JEWS THAT YOU WEREN'T REALLY JEWS? 46:28 THAT THEY WEREN'T CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM? 46:30 THEY SAID, 'WE'RE ABRAHAM'S SEED. 46:31 WE HAVEN'T BEEN SLAVES TO ANYONE.' JESUS SAID, 'NO, YOU'RE 46:34 THE DEVIL'S CHILDREN AND YOU DO THE WORKS OF YOUR MASTER. 46:38 IF YOU WERE ABRAHAM'S CHILDREN, YOU WOULDN'T TRY TO KILL ME.' 46:42 THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHT LANGUAGE. SO, HOW DO YOU QUALIFY 46:45 TO BE A CHILD OF ABRAHAM? YOU DO WHAT ABRAHAM DID, WHICH 46:50 WAS BELIEVE LIKE ABRAHAM. DID ABRAHAM BELIEVE 46:53 IN THE MESSIAH? >>YES. 46:55 >>JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU WERE OF YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM, YOU WOULD 46:58 BELIEVE ME BECAUSE HE LOOKED FOR MY DAY.' GALATIANS 3:29, "AND IF 47:02 YOU ARE CHRIST'S, THEN YOU ARE ABRAHAM'S SEED, AND HEIRS 47:05 ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE." SO HOW MANY HERE WOULD 47:08 SAY YOU'RE CHRIST'S? EVERY HAND SHOULD HAVE GONE UP, 47:12 IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN 47:14 YOU'RE CHRIST'S. PAUL SAYS THEN YOU ARE ABRAHAM'S 47:17 SEED AND HEIRS - ALL THE PROMISES GOD MADE TO ABRAHAM 47:20 BELONG TO YOU, IF YOU ARE CHRIST'S. 47:23 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ, FOR US, PLEASE, THE NEXT VERSE. 47:26 >>"BUT HE IS A JEW WHO IS ONE INWARDLY; AND CIRCUMCISION IS 47:30 THAT OF THE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT, NOT IN THE LETTER; WHOSE 47:34 PRAISE IS NOT FROM MEN BUT FROM GOD." 47:37 >>SEE, WHEN ONE RABBI WOULD CIRCUMCISE A LITTLE BOY AT EIGHT 47:41 DAYS OLD, HE'D SAY, 'I'M THE ONE. 47:43 I'M THE GODFATHER' - SO TO SPEAK - 'I CIRCUMCISED HIM.' THE 47:45 PRAISE OF MEN - THEY'D TAKE THE CREDIT FOR IT. 47:48 PAUL SAID 'NO, IT'S NOT THE PHYSICAL CIRCUMCISION, IT'S THE 47:52 HEART CIRCUMCISION.' BECAUSE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN ROME - YOU 47:55 REMEMBER PAUL CIRCUMCISED TIMOTHY, EVEN AFTER TIMOTHY WAS 47:58 AN ADULT, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE PAINFUL PROCEDURE AND TAKES A 48:02 WHILE TO HEAL, BUT THEY WOULD GO AROUND - THE CHRISTIANS IN ROME 48:08 WERE BRAGGING ABOUT THE GENTILES THEY'D CIRCUMCISED. 48:11 AND SO, THEY WERE TAKING THE PRAISE - HE SAYS, 'NO, NO, THAT 48:13 - THAT DOESN'T MATTER. IT'S THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE 48:15 HEART, AND THAT GLORY BELONGS TO GOD.' BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING 48:18 THAT HAPPENS BY FAITH, IT ISN'T A SURGICAL PROCEDURE. 48:21 IF I COULD SURGICALLY HAVE MY CARNAL NATURE REMOVED, I WOULD 48:25 RUN TO THE DOCTOR. IF I COULD SURGICALLY HAVE A NEW 48:29 HEART PLACED IN ME, I WOULD RUN TO THE DOCTOR. 48:32 BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY, CAN YOU? 48:34 IT'S SOMETHING THAT GOD DOES. IT'S A SUPERNATURAL SURGERY. 48:38 LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER ONE, MATTHEW 3:9 - I THINK THIS IS 48:42 JOHN THE BAPTIST SPEAKING HERE, "AND DO NOT THINK TO SAY TO 48:44 YOURSELVES, 'WE HAVE ABRAHAM AS OUR FATHER.' FOR I SAY TO YOU 48:47 THAT GOD IS ABLE TO RAISE UP CHILDREN TO ABRAHAM FROM THESE 48:50 STONES." WAS THERE A RISK THAT, BACK IN 48:52 THE TIME OF CHRIST, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, 'WELL, ABRAHAM'S OUR 48:55 ANCESTOR SO YOU'VE GOT TO SAVE US. 48:57 WE'RE THE CHOSEN FROZEN' OR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 49:00 NOW THAT WAS JUST THE JEWS BACK THEN. 49:02 WE DON'T EVER DO THAT, RIGHT? WE DON'T EVER SAY, 'I'M A 49:04 THIRD OR A FOURTH GENERATION CHRISTIAN.' 'MY UNCLE'S A 49:11 PASTOR.' 'MY FATHER'S A PASTOR. I GET EXTRA CREDIT WHEN I STAND 49:16 AT THE PEARLY GATES.' DOES ANYONE GET SAVED BY VIRTUE 49:20 OF YOUR CHRISTIAN GENEALOGY? BUT HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD 49:23 SOMEONE SORT OF BOAST ABOUT THEIR HERITAGE IN THE CHURCH? 49:27 SOMETIMES THAT CAN WORK AGAINST YOU. 49:30 IN THE TIME OF CHRIST, DID THOSE WHO HAD BEEN IN THE CHURCH FOR 49:33 GENERATIONS START GETTING SWALLOWED UP BY THEIR OWN 49:35 CUSTOMS? THE LAWS OF MEN? 49:39 DOES IT STILL HAPPEN TODAY, WHERE WE FORGET ABOUT THE 49:42 IMPORTANCE OF GENUINE FAITH? LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER ONE. 49:45 LUKE 13:28, "THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH, 49:49 WHEN YOU SEE ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB AND ALL THE PROPHETS 49:51 IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND YOURSELVES THRUST OUT. 49:55 THEN THEY WILL COME FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST," - THE 49:57 GENTILES - "FROM THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, AND SIT DOWN IN THE 50:00 KINGDOM OF GOD" - WITH ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB. 50:03 OBVIOUSLY, THE SAVED PROPHETS ARE THERE, THE PATRIARCHS ARE 50:05 THERE, AND THERE'LL BE MANY FAITHFUL THERE, BUT THERE'S 50:08 GOING TO BE OTHERS WHO WILL COME FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST - THE 50:10 GENTILES - AND THEY MIGHT HAVE THE DNA OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, 50:14 BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THE KINGDOM IF THEY DON'T HAVE FAITH. 50:17 NOW, IS THAT A STRETCH OR IS THAT WHAT HE'S SAYING? 50:20 IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHAT IT MEANS. NOW, SOME PEOPLE THINK, 50:24 'PASTOR DOUG, ARE YOU TEACHING REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY?' 50:27 DO YOU KNOW WHAT REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY IS? 50:28 THAT ONCE JESUS DIED, GOD HAS NO MORE PROMISES TO KEEP TO THE 50:33 JEWS - THAT THERE'S NOTHING SPECIAL FOR THE JEWISH NATION - 50:35 THAT HAS ALL BEEN REPLACED BY CHRISTIANITY. 50:39 NO, I DON'T BELIEVE IT LIKE THAT. 50:41 I DO BELIEVE THAT GOD STILL HAS THINGS THAT HE'S DOING WITH THE 50:43 JEWS - THERE'S PROMISES AND PROPHECIES THAT APPLY TO THE 50:46 JEWS, BUT I DO THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT GENTILES ARE GRAFTED INTO 50:51 THE STALK OF ISRAEL AND WE GET TO LAY CLAIM ON ALL THE 50:55 PROMISES. HOW DO I KNOW THAT? 50:58 ARE WE SAVED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT OR THE OLD COVENANT? 51:01 >>NEW COVENANT. >>NEW COVENANT. 51:03 YOU'RE AFRAID TO ANSWER BECAUSE YOU SAY, 'PASTOR DOUG ALWAYS HAS 51:05 THESE TRICK QUESTIONS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S UP 51:08 TO.' WHERE'S THE NEW COVENANT? WHAT DOES THE NEW COVENANT SAY? 51:12 'I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD, 51:15 WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH.' SO, DOES GOD 51:19 MAKE THE NEW COVENANT WITH GENTILES OR WITH THE HOUSE OF 51:22 ISRAEL AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH? SO IF YOU ARE SAVED UNDER THE 51:25 NEW COVENANT, YOU HAVE TO BE ADOPTED INTO THE SPIRITUAL 51:29 CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE CHRIST'S THEN YOU 51:33 ARE ABRAHAM'S SEED AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE. 51:35 HEIRS OF WHAT? THE NEW COVENANT. 51:37 >>AMEN. >>SO YOU GET THE NEW COVENANT 51:38 BECAUSE YOU ARE ADOPTED IN THROUGH CHRIST. 51:42 ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY. 51:45 THE LAW AND FAITH - ALRIGHT, "DOES THIS BLESSEDNESS" - 51:51 ROMANS 4:9 - "COME UPON THE CIRCUMCISED 51:54 ONLY, OR UPON THE CIRCUMCISED ALSO? 51:57 FOR WE SAY THAT FAITH WAS ACCOUNTED TO ABRAHAM FOR 51:59 RIGHTEOUSNESS." - AND GO TO VERSE 10 - "HOW 52:02 THEN WAS IT ACCOUNTED?" - I'M IN ROMANS 4:10 - 52:05 "WHILE HE WAS CIRCUMCISED, OR UNCIRCUMCISED? 52:08 NOT WHILE CIRCUMCISED, BUT WHILE UNCIRCUMCISED. 52:12 AND HE RECEIVED THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION, A SEAL OF THE 52:15 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE FAITH WHICH HE HAD WHILE STILL 52:20 UNCIRCUMCISED, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FATHER OF ALL THOSE WHO 52:22 BELIEVE," - NOW IF YOU LOOK IN GENESIS 15:5 - THIS IS THE ONE I 52:26 WANTED EARLIER. WHICH COMES FIRST, GENESIS 17 52:29 WHERE THERE'S CIRCUMCISION OR GENESIS 15? 52:33 15 COMES FIRST. WHERE IS ABRAHAM ACCOUNTED RIGHTEOUS? 52:37 AFTER HE'S CIRCUMCISED - GENESIS 17? OR GENESIS 15? 52:40 LET'S READ IT: "THEN HE BROUGHT HIM OUTSIDE AND SAID, 'LOOK NOW 52:44 TOWARD HEAVEN, AND COUNT THE STARS IF YOU ARE ABLE TO NUMBER 52:46 THEM.' AND HE SAID TO HIM, 'SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.' AND 52:50 HE" - ABRAHAM - "BELIEVED IN THE LORD, AND HE" - GOD - "ACCOUNTED 52:54 IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S CALLED? 52:57 HE WAS RIGHTEOUS BY BELIEF OR FAITH. 53:01 THIS IS RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH. ABRAHAM BELIEVED THE PROMISE 53:05 AND HE WAS DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE HE BELIEVED 53:08 - HE TRUSTED IN GOD. DID THAT HAPPEN WHILE HE WAS 53:12 CIRCUMCISED OR UNCIRCUMCISED? UNCIRCUMCISED. 53:15 DO YOU SEE THE ARGUMENT PAUL IS MAKING TO THE CHRISTIANS IN 53:17 ROME, NOW? AND TO THE JEWS - JEWISH CHRISTIANS? 53:20 HE'S SAYING, 'THE GENTILES CAN ACCEPT THE SALVATION OF GOD, 53:25 JUST LIKE OUR FATHER ABRAHAM DID.' NOW, IF YOU'RE APPEALING 53:28 TO JEW - JEWISH READERS, WHO COULD YOU APPEAL TO THAT'S MORE 53:32 MAGNIFICENT THAN ABRAHAM? I MEAN, THEY ALL TRACE 53:35 THEMSELVES BACK TO ABRAHAM. HE'S SAYING, 'ABRAHAM WAS 53:38 DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BY FAITH, WHILE STILL UNCIRCUMCISED. 53:41 SO HOW DARE YOU SAY TO THESE GENTILES - THESE ROMANS - THESE 53:45 GREEKS THAT ARE COMING TO CHRIST, 'OH, YOU CAN'T BE SAVED 53:48 BY FAITH UNTIL YOU'RE CIRCUMCISED'? 53:50 GOD DIDN'T EVEN REQUIRE THAT OF ABRAHAM. 53:52 HOW CAN YOU SAY IT TO THEM?' YOU SEE THE ARGUMENT 53:55 THAT PAUL IS MAKING HERE? HE'S TRYING TO DEAL WITH A 53:58 SPECIFIC PROBLEM AND HE'S USING GOOD BIBLICAL ARGUMENTS. 54:02 AND, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE GENESIS 12 - HE WAS RECEIVED BY FAITH 54:05 THERE, ALSO. SO GO TO ACTS 10:28 - PETER, 54:11 HERE, JUST TO REMIND YOU WHAT THE CHALLENGE WAS 54:14 THEY WERE HAVING. PETER SAID TO THEM, "YOU KNOW 54:17 HOW IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A JEWISH MAN TO KEEP COMPANY OR TO GO 54:21 IN TO ONE FROM ANOTHER NATION. BUT GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT I 54:26 SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN COMMON OR UNCLEAN." 54:28 WHEN PETER GOES TO THE HOUSE OF CORNELIUS, HE SAID, 'YOU REALIZE 54:32 WE'VE BELIEVED, FOR GENERATIONS, WE'RE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO COME 54:35 UNDER YOUR ROOF BECAUSE YOU'RE UNCLEAN, BUT GOD'S SHOWN ME 54:37 THAT'S WRONG, THAT GOD HAS SAID THAT GENTILES CAN NOW RECEIVE 54:44 SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST - THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE. 54:48 AND GO TO ACTS CHAPTER 11, VERSE 2, "AND WHEN PETER CAME UP TO 54:55 JERUSALEM, THOSE OF THE CIRCUMCISION CONTENDED WITH HIM, 54:58 SAYING, 'YOU WENT IN TO UNCIRCUMCISED MEN AND ATE WITH 55:01 THEM!'" - NON JEWS! - 55:05 ACTS 11 - WHEN THEY HEARD THIS, PETER TOLD THEM ABOUT THE 55:08 EXPERIENCE, HOW GOD'S ANGELS TOLD HIM TO DO IT - ACTS 11:18, 55:11 "WHEN THEY HEARD THESE THINGS THEY BECAME SILENT; AND THEY 55:15 GLORIFIED GOD," - LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAID - "THEN GOD HAS ALSO 55:18 GRANTED TO THE GENTILES REPENTANCE TO LIFE.'" 55:22 DID THAT WORD REACH ROME? THEY SAID, 'YEAH, HE'S GRANTED 55:24 YOU REPENTANCE BUT YOU STILL NEED TO BE CIRCUMCISED.' PAUL 55:27 SAID, 'NO THEY DON'T.' AND THAT WAS THE BIG DEBATE 55:30 THAT'S GOING ON HERE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN INTERESTING 55:33 QUOTE FROM THE BOOK DESIRE OF AGES , HERE, AND THIS IS PAGE 35, 55:37 "THE PRINCIPLE THAT MAN CAN SAVE HIMSELF BY HIS OWN WORKS LAYS AT 55:42 THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY HEATHEN RELIGION. 55:45 WHEREVER IT IS HELD, MEN HAVE NO BARRIER AGAINST SIN". 55:49 THE IDEA THAT WE CAN WORK OUR WAY INTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, IT JUST 55:54 DESTROYS THE BARRIER TO SIN. IT IS ONLY THROUGH FAITH THAT WE 55:56 CAN OVERCOME AND ANYONE WHO'S TRYING TO WORK THEIR WAY TO 56:00 HOLINESS - MARTIN LUTHER TRIED IT AND HE BECAME SO FRUSTRATED, 56:04 HE WOULD WHIP HIMSELF. HE BEAT HIMSELF. 56:07 HE'D CRAWL AROUND ON HIS KNEES AND SAY THESE LONG PRAYERS AND 56:10 HE'S TRYING TO WORK HIS WAY TO FINDING PEACE. 56:12 AND IT ACTUALLY BECOMES AN OBSTACLE. 56:15 YOU GET THE POWER THROUGH FAITH, BY EMBRACING THE GIFT THAT GOD 56:19 HAS GIVEN US. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE LAST VERSE 56:25 THAT YOU'RE GOING TO READ FOR US, AND THAT WOULD BE ROMANS 56:28 3:20 AND THIS IS WHERE WE STARTED. 56:30 IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO CONCLUDE. 56:34 >>"THEREFORE BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED 56:37 IN HIS SIGHT, FOR BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN." 56:42 >>SO DOES THE LAW STILL HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE? 56:45 IT SHOWS US OUR SIN. THEN WE REPENT OF OUR SINS, WE 56:49 TURN TO JESUS FOR MERCY, AND HE GIVES US GRACE, NOT ONLY TO 56:54 FORGIVE US, BUT GRACE TO LIVE A NEW KIND OF LIFE. 56:57 AND THAT'S WHAT THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL DOES. 57:00 ALRIGHT, I'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE TO SAY, BUT I AM OUT OF TIME. 57:03 I THINK WE'VE COVERED THE MAIN POINTS. 57:04 I WANT TO REMIND THOSE WHO MAY HAVE TUNED IN LATE, WE HAVE A 57:07 BOOK I THINK YOU'LL REALLY ENJOY, IT IS A SPECIAL PREMIUM 57:10 BOOK. IT'S CALLED HEROES OF FAITH: 57:12 INSPIRATIONAL STORIES OF SALVATION , BY YOURS TRULY. 57:15 JUST CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN - 866-788-3966 - THAT'S 57:20 866-STUDY-MORE - AND ASK FOR OFFER #826 AND YOU'LL BE GLAD 57:24 YOU DID. PLEASE READ IT AND THEN 57:26 SHARE IT WITH SOMEBODY. GOD BLESS YOU, FRIENDS, WE'LL 57:29 STUDY HIS WORD TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. 57:32 >>FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, GOD USED MARTIN LUTHER TO INSPIRE A 57:36 GREAT REFORMATION; HOWEVER, IN THE CENTURIES THAT FOLLOWED, THE 57:40 CHURCH HAS SLIPPED OFF THE BEDROCK OF TRUTH INTO THE VALLEY 57:43 OF LUKEWARM WORLDLINESS. THAT'S WHY, THIS FALL, I'LL BE 57:47 PRESENTING A BRAND-NEW NINE-PART SERIES CALLED 57:50 FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH . PLEASE PLAN, NOW, TO JOIN ME IN 57:54 PERSON, ONLINE, OR ON TELEVISION AND BE SURE TO INVITE 57:56 OTHERS TO JOIN YOU AS WELL. THE REFORMATION CONTINUES. 58:02 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, 58:05 VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM . 58:09 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-10-23